On the 14th of December 1942 this aircraft had been scrambled from Scorton at 20.30hrs along with three others to intercept a number of Luftwaffe aircraft heading for the North-East. Soon after taking off the pilot off this aircraft radioed base to say that he could not control the aircraft and nothing further was heard. The aircraft headed roughly west with little sideways control other than powering down on one engine and powering up on the other to effect a turn. During the War the keep of Richmond Castle was used as a "fire-watch" lookout post and in it on this night were two local men, they would have to dive for cover as the aircaft narrowly missed striking the tower, it then crashed into the tops of some trees and came to earth into a small field on Bolton Crofts, north of the town. The aircraft caught fire on impact. First on the scene was a 22 year old ATS ambulance driver, Margaret Johnson, she was driving along Green Howards Road, the road above the crash sitem and she had witnessed the crash. She ran down to the burning aircraft and attempted to rescue the pilot, and suffered burns herself before being beaten back by the flames, smoke and exploding ammunition. Two others also attempted to rescue the Nav/W0p from the rear of the aircraft, however Reserve Constable F L Mayman and Cpl Hawley were also beaten back by the fire. It is probable that both airmen had been killed in the crash however but their would-be rescuers would not be aware of that. All three rescuers were commended for their actions. Soon on the scene were a number of other locals who had heard the aircraft and witnessed the fire, the fire brigade also arrived and put the fire out. One of these locals, Mr Ray Thornton proved to be a valuable find whilst researching this incident. The remains of the aircraft were later taken away although the crash card states that the two engines were considered for repair and may have been re-used. The crash investigation found that burnt remains of a tail-plane weather cover was found at the crash site and one was also missing from Scorton. Its seemed probable that the cause of the crash was due to this weather cover being left in place prior to taking off. Having little tail-plane control there was would be little the pilot could do to prevent the crash occuring and he probably did his best to avoid the town.

Pilot - F/Lt William J D Hunt RAF (83726), he was a very experienced pilot with over 1300hrs flying to his name, but with only 36hrs at night on the Beaufighter.

Nav/WOp - F/Sgt Harold Gysel RAF (1150235) , aged 34. Probably of Belgium or Dutch extraction.

In 2008 a memorial was erected alongside Quakers Lane on the gate post to a nursing home which is situated in front of the crash site. The aircraft had narrowly avoided hitting the property and had crashed through trees at the back of it.

In November 2008 Dick Barton, Albert Pritchard, Ken Reast and myself located small remains of the aircraft in the field behind the nursing home. The most telling find that was easily linked to the Beaufighter was part of a 20mm cannon shell case. Ken had made extensive enquiries in the area in the weeks prior to our two visits and it is thanks to him and the gentlemen he was able to find who remembered the incident that any remains were located to confirm these memories. Thanks also goes to the land owner for allowing our visit and to Mr Ray Thornton, aged 83 at the time of our visit, who was one of the first on the scene of the burning aircraft. Without seeking his memories and exact location in the field it is probably doubtful that this site would ever have been tracked down by us. It now transpires that the site has probably been dug in the 1980s and all the larger peices which may have existed then have been removed. It would also transpire from our enquiries that there are many locals who recall the incident but the location of it has varied slightly in all their accounts but all within the same small field.